Blackboard and desk



' (No Model.)

S. N.UTTER.. BLAGKBOARD AND DESK.

No. 493,134 Patented Mar. 7, 1893.

NITED STATES SAMUEL N. UTTER, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

BLACKBOARD AND DESK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 493,134, dated March'7, 1893.

Application filed July 27. 1892- Serial No. 441,417. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL N. UTTER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBlackboards and Desks; and I do hereby declare the following to beafull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others'skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

My invention relates to improvements in blackboards and desks, and itrelates, to novel means for displaying a series of views in convenientposition before the pupil and to the novel construction and arrangementof devices by which the parts can be compactly folded together and heldfirmly and securely in place when unfolded for use.

The accompanying drawings fully illustrate my invention, in which--Figure 1 is a perspective view showingthe device unfolded in positionfor use. Fig. 2 is a like view showing the same partly folded, and Fig.3 is a similar view of the same compactly folded. Fig. 4 is a detailsectional View through the series of suspended tablets.

Like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figuresof the drawings, referring to which-- A, A, designate the upright sidepieces of the structure, and between these side pieces are arranged theshelves and partitions a, a, forming the series of compartments orpigeon holes B adapted for the storage of papers, utensils or otherobjects. The upper ends of these side pieces are connected and braced bya bar or rung O, which is preferably round in cross-section, as shown inFig. 4, although other forms of bars may be used. On this bar or rung,O, are secured two or more divided suspending rings E, of the form shownvery clearly by Fig.4; and each of these rings E is passed throughaligned eyelets or apertures, d, d, in the series of tablets, D, wherebythe latter are hung from the bar, 0, in convenient position in front ofthe pupil so that the characters or illustrations on the front tabletcan be readily seen. These suspending rings, E, are divided and fixed tothe bar, C, so that the tablets can be easily removed or replaced tobring the desired tablet into view. Each ring has one end thereof bentinwardly or radially so as to form an attaching arm e while the otherend of the ring is carried around so as to overlap the side of the ring,said free overlapping end of the ring being free to yield or give sothat the tablets can be readily placed on or removed from the rings byspringing the free ends of the rings far enough away from the bodies ofthe rings to permit the tablets to pass said free ends of the rings. Therings are each secured to the bar 0 in a fixed position by having itsarm e inserted into and secured in the bar, and each ring is thus heldso that it is out of contact with the bar for practically its wholelength so that the series of tablets can be easily hung from the ringsand at the same timethe tablets can be readily turned on the fixed ringsto remove or replace them. These tablets D are provided with letters,characters, or pictures of objects.

To the uprights A, A, near the lower part thereof, below thecompartments ]3,is pivoted the inner end of the leaf or board F, as atf, and to the front side of this leaf is applied or secured the coatingor material forming the ground of the blackboard. The innersurface ofthis leaf is plain or finished to adapt the same as the writing surfaceof a desk when the leaf is turned down to its horizontal position, inwhich it is sustained by the sectional folding links G attached to theupright sides and to the edges of the leaf or board as shown.

The structure is supported by two pairs of legs H, H, I, I each pair ofwhich is pivoted at the upper ends to one of the side pieces, as at h,and the legs H, I, and H, I, are connected together by means of tie bars2', t". The pairs of legs H, H, and I, I are braced when extended bymeans of the folding braces J, J. Each brace consists of two members j,70, which are pivoted to the respective legs of the pair, and the innerends of said members 7', k, are pivotally connected together, at Z. Oneof the members of the brace, is provided near the pivot Z with a notch min the lower side, and when the legs are unfolded and the membersthereby brought into line, this notch receives a stud or pin 0 securedto the side piece A near its lower end.

The operation of the device is obvious. To

unfold and use as a blackboard, the legs are spread apart and the bracesadjusted so as to receive the studs 0 in the notches, thus steadying thedevice; and the tablets can be removed and replaced so as to bring theproper one to the front immediately over the blackboard surface on thevertical leaf. By lowering the leaf to the horizontal position shown inFig. 1, the device can be used as a desk, and the leaf and legs can becompactly folded together as shown in Fig. 3.

It is evident that changes in the details of construction and form andproportion of parts can be made by a skilled mechanic Without departingfrom the spirit or sacrificing the advantages of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention,

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a blackboard, the upright side pieces, the horizontal bar 0 securedto the side pieces, the divided fixed rings E each having an in- Wardlyextending arm 6 fixed to the bar C and having its free end overlappingthe body of the ring, and the removable tablet D provided with theapertures in which the rings are fitted, for the purposedescribed,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix mysignaturein presence of two Witnesses.

SAMUEL N. UTTER.

itnesses:

J. O. FORGIE, L. H. BELL.

